Erotic Heritage Museum to Archive Exotic Dancer Publications

The Erotic Heritage Museum in Las Vegas will feature an interactive digital archive of the 30-year history of Exotic Dancer (ED) Publications. This initiative will transform the publication's content into an exhibit at the museum.

About the Erotic Heritage Museum

The Erotic Heritage Museum (EHM) is located at 3275 Sammy Davis Jr. Drive, Las Vegas, Nevada, 89109, United States. The museum, established in 2008, occupies a 24,000-square-foot space, with 17,000 square feet dedicated to the history of erotica. Harry Mohney, founder of Déjà Vu, is the grand patron of the museum. The EHM operates as an educational, performance, and exhibit space, and also sells various retail items in its lobby. It hosts readings, symposia, and "meet and greets" with individuals in sexual education and art.

The museum opened on August 2, 2008. It underwent a brief restructuring, ceasing operations on February 19, 2014, and reopened on June 7, 2014, as Harry Mohney's Erotica Museum. The museum is managed by Harry Mohney Erotic Museum LLC, a Nevada corporation. The current director is Victoria Hartmann, Ph.D.

The Harry Mohney Erotic Museum is designed to fulfill educational, scientific, and literary functions related to sexual, emotional, mental, and physical health. Its collection features erotic art across multiple genres, including commercial art, pornographic art, folk art, pop art, and fine art. The second floor primarily showcases erotic art, some of which is available for sale. These pieces encompass classic to abstract styles, including paintings, sketches, watercolors, porcelain figurines, sculptures, and carved wood objects.

The EHM began as a partnership between Preacher (the Rev. Ted McIllvenna) and a Pornographer (Harry Mohney). Their collaboration aimed to build a sex-positive exhibition space, resulting in what is described as the largest museum globally for the preservation of erotic artifacts, fine art, film, education, and cultural events: The Las Vegas Erotic Heritage Museum.

Since 2014, the museum has expanded its scope to include a wide array of cultural artifacts, conducted scientific research, and broadened its focus to incorporate social and physical sciences. It has collaborated with scholars and institutions of higher learning, including the Kinsey Institute and UC Berkeley’s scholar Mel Gordon’s Estate.

The museum's ethos emphasizes that every human being has a story to tell, presenting itself as "the story of *us*, at our most intima." It houses more than 24,000 square feet of permanent and featured exhibits covering disciplines such as evolutionary biology, archeology, physics, technology, and the preservation of ancient artifacts and art—written, painted, photographed, and drawn.

Mission and Cultural Significance

The Erotic Heritage Museum is dedicated to preserving, documenting, and exhibiting the history and cultural significance of human sexuality and erotic art across various civilizations and eras. It aims to challenge conventional perceptions, foster open dialogue, and encourage academic exploration of topics often marginalized. The museum serves as an educational hub, working to demystify and destigmatize eroticism by presenting it within its historical and artistic context.

Museum collections and exhibition materials are considered representations of the world’s natural and cultural common wealth. As stewards of this wealth, museums are compelled to advance an understanding of all natural forms and the human experience. The EHM aims to be a resource for humankind, fostering an informed appreciation of the diverse world and preserving this inheritance for posterity.

Key Facts

• The Erotic Heritage Museum (EHM) is located at 3275 Sammy Davis Jr. Drive, Las Vegas, Nevada.
• The museum was established in 2008 and reopened in 2014 as Harry Mohney's Erotica Museum.
• Harry Mohney, founder of Déjà Vu, is the grand patron of the EHM.
• The museum is a 24,000-square-foot space, with 17,000 square feet dedicated to the history of erotica.
• Victoria Hartmann, Ph.D., is the director of the Erotic Heritage Museum.
• The EHM features erotic art across multiple genres and hosts educational and cultural events.